A Supportive Resource and Compassionate Voice for Lives Touched by Mental Illness and Suicide.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder named for German physician
Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in 1906. Scientists have
learned a great deal about Alzheimer’s disease in the century since Dr.
Alzheimer first drew attention to it. Today we know that Alzheimer’s:

Is a progressive and fatal brain disease. As many as 5 million
Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer's destroys
brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking, and behavior
severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies, or social life.
Alzheimer’s gets worse over time, and it is fatal. Today it is the
sixth-leading cause of death in the United States.

Is the most common form of dementia, a general term for the loss
of memory and other intellectual abilities serious enough to
interfere with daily life. Vascular dementia, another common type of
dementia, is caused by reduced blood flow to parts of the brain. In
mixed dementia, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia occur together.

Has no current cure. But treatments for symptoms combined with
the right services and support, can make life better for the
millions of Americans living with Alzheimer’s. We’ve learned most of
what we know about Alzheimer’s in the last 15 years. There is an
accelerating worldwide effort under way to find better ways to treat
the disease, delay its onset, or prevent it from developing.

The Kim Foundation is an education and resource organization. We do not provide direct services and are not able to respond immediately to requests for information.

If you are in crisis and need immediate help, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) The content contained in this website is for informational purposes only and is compiled and received from various sources. The Kim Foundation does not endorse the resources provided and does not accept liability or responsibility for incorrect information provided.